Edgar Cayce and the Yoga Sutras. Istvan Fazekas

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СКАЧАТЬ Rules for a Better World

      Understood in the full sense of their meaning, [the yamas]² embrace the whole world of moral conduct. By their observance, the yogi avoids the primary or fundamental difficulties that could block his progress towards [God-consciousness.] Breaking the rules of moral conduct creates not only present misery, but long-lasting karmic effects that bind the devotee to suffering and mortal limitation.

       Paramahansa Yogananda

      In both the spiritual yogic systems of India and the teachings from the readings’ source, one concept emerges as preeminent for spiritual development: Adherence to moral and ethical principles. There is no magic bullet or shortcut to God consciousness, only the steady transformation born of consistent and persistent spiritual practice. In the system of Raja (“royal”) Yoga, the one systematized by Patañjali, the first and most critical stage of training for the spiritual aspirant is ethics/morals.

      In Raja Yoga, the initial moral teachings are known as yamas (“observances”), a kind of thou-shalt-not-do set of rules for establishing optimal social harmony. Patañjali begins with these because he feels they transcend cultures and creeds. In the Yoga Sutras, he refers to them as “universal adherences.” If everyone were to faithfully abide by these social rules, the world would be a much better, much safer, and more socially productive place.

      The readings’ source prompts everyone to seek Christ Consciousness as the highest spiritual choice. The recurring teaching in the readings is the need for the obliteration of “hate, prejudice, selfishness, backbiting, unkindness, anger, passion, and those things of the mire that are created in the activities of the sons of men.” (5749-5) The sage Patañjali would be in full agreement with this formula. The following are the five yamas.

       I. Ahimsa

      First, do no harm.

      Hippocratic Oath

      Put your sword [away], for all who draw the sword will die by the sword.

      Jesus; Matthew 26:52³

      The Lord tests and proves the [unyieldingly] righteous, but [God’s] soul abhors the wicked and him who loves violence.

      Psalm 11:5

      Thou shalt not kill.

      Exodus 20:13 [King James Version]

      Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them . . .

      Matthew 7:12 [KJV]

      Love your enemies . . .

      Jesus; Matthew 5:44 [KJV]

      Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.

      Jesus; Luke 23:34

      During a visit to the ashram of Mahatma Gandhi in 1935, I asked the prophet of nonviolence [ahimsa] for his definition of ahimsa. He replied: “The avoidance of harm to any living creature in thought or deed.” A man of nonviolence neither willfully gives nor wishes harm to any. He is a paradigm of the golden rule: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”

      Paramahansa Yogananda⁴

      There is no virtue higher than ahimsa.

       Swami Vivekananda

      The first moral observance is ahimsa, meaning “nonharming” or perhaps “active nonviolence.” This means not to purposefully harm anyone or anything or to live with the sincere intention of such. Intention is the key principle here, as it is impossible to wash one’s hands or brush one’s teeth without “harming” countless bacteria in the process. We have to be reasonable and pragmatic in the application of ahimsa.

      In most of the Asian systems, degrees of efficacy are acknowledged as unavoidable in the practice of spiritual ideals. For example, if your family were about to be harmed by a person with criminal intent and you injured or fatally wounded the criminal in the process of protecting your family, this is not considered a violation of ahimsa. It is only when a person intends to harm another, and especially if that person enjoys it, that violating the moral of ahimsa is the cause for creating negative karma and adding to the collective pool of world suffering.

      If, for example, in the course of a building project, you inadvertently knock down an inhabited bird’s nest, this is not considered some grievous offense, especially if you take appropriate actions to restore it or move it to a safer location. Making mistakes should not be interpreted as an unpardonable wrongdoing—not learning from them or being apathetic toward them is the real problem. It is having the intention of nonharming that is most essential to living ahimsa. This would include consistently living with the awareness of reconciliation and forgiveness.

      The readings’ source implied on a few occasions or stated outright that the cause of physical ailments of numerous people seeking Mr. Cayce’s counsel was their ridiculing or belittling others in past lives. This unmindful cruelty creates a vikarma (negative karma) that may take multiple lifetimes to eradicate. It also can create a vikarma that attracts ridicule and belittlement to one’s self, now or later.

      Besides creating harmonious relationships, adding to world peace, and insulating us from negative physical karma, an added benefit that faithfully adhering to ahimsa offers is a peaceful security that precedes us wherever we go. It is said that not even the wildest of beasts will harm a spiritual aspirant who faithfully lives ahimsa.

      Ahimsa was the foundation for Gandhi’s monumental social transformation in India. Martin Luther King Jr. was so taken with the idea, through Gandhi’s example, that he and his associates visited India to learn more of ahimsa from Gandhi’s protégées. Even the current Dalai Lama is a wonderful representative of the power of ahimsa when he refers to the Communist Chinese military, which forced him into exile and systematically decimated the Tibetans’ country and culture, as “my greatest teachers.” There is no call for revenge or a mandate for war, but instead he insists on education, peaceful activism, and patient noncompliance with his “teachers.”

      Jesus said he could have had “more than twelve legions of angels” to assist him in defeating his enemies (Matthew 26:53), yet he chose forgiveness and sacrifice. He, too, lived ahimsa.

      [L]ongsuffering . . . does not mean suffering of self and not grumbling about it. Rather, though you [are] persecuted, unkindly spoken of, taken advantage of by others, you do not attempt to fight back or to do spiteful things; [non-violence means] that you be patient—first with self, then with others.

      3121-1

      There are some who adhere to a vegan diet, thinking that that alone is the supreme embodiment of ahimsa. From the standpoint of many of the masters, it is not what goes into one’s mouth that counts as much as what comes out of it (words and deeds). One may be vegan and still be plagued with neuroses of jealousy, envy, pridefulness, and materialism. The following quote is but one example of a recurring teaching:

      The test of ahimsa is absence of jealousy. СКАЧАТЬ